$244 million awarded for high-speed rail from Detroit to Chicago

Michigan, Indiana and Illinois will receive $244 million to update 300 miles of track to accommodate high-speed rail, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced today as part of a federal $8 billion stimulus investment in high-speed rail across the country.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants have been awarded for the corridor from Pontiac to Detroit to Kalamazoo through Northern Indiana to Chicago, what the department considers one of the country's major projects.

According to the department, existing stations will be renovated in Troy and Battle Creek, and a new station will be constructed in downtown Dearborn adjacent to the Henry Ford Museum. In the long-run, the goal would be to double the number of daily round trips between Detroit and Chicago and increasing speeds to 110 mph. The section of rail between Kalamazoo and New Buffalo can already support speed up to 95 mph.

“Through the Recovery Act, we are making the largest investment in infrastructure since the Interstate Highway System was created, putting Americans to work rebuilding our roads, bridges, and waterways for the future,” President Obama said in a statement. “That investment is how we can break ground across the country, putting people to work building high-speed rail lines, because there’s no reason why Europe or China should have the fastest trains when we can build them right here in America.”